EKET MASK 15

This Eket mask shows no evidence of age or use and was probably made
to be sold.

Eket Sculpture shows traditional masks, figures, shutters, doors and
other objects from the Eket people, a subgroup of the Ibibio of Nigeria.
Recognizable for their decorative patterns and repetition of shapes, Eket
sculpture takes several forms.

Heads are round and mask-like, with carefully defined features and precise
carving. Most are headdresses, on top of a caplike base. Face masks, usually
from the Ekpo society, are more varied in size and style. Eket figures,
like the heads, are usually worn as crests of headdresses. They are danced
in the annual Ogbom ceremony.